Creating demand for unmet needs: Agile Storytelling

Area of Science:

• Behavioral economics
• Complexity science
• Network science

Background:

• The implementation of evidence-based solutions in healthcare is often hindered by a gap between the perceived need for change and the actual demand for it.
• For sickle cell disease (SCD), this translational gap results in delayed guideline implementation, resource limitations, and care models that do not meet patient needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate Agile Storytelling, a novel process designed to create local demand for implementing evidence-based solutions in healthcare.
• To address the specific challenge of implementing SCD best-practice guidelines within a healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• Agile Storytelling involves a design phase to craft a narrative around an evidence-based solution and a testing phase using storytelling sprints.
• The methodology was tested in an iterative n-of-1 case study within a large, urban US healthcare system.

Main Results:

• Agile Storytelling successfully generated demand for a specialized social worker for SCD within one week, overcoming previous implementation failures.
• This intervention led to improved patient outcomes and the establishment of a collaborative care team for SCD.

Conclusions:

• Agile Storytelling provides a structured and effective method for generating local demand within healthcare organizations.
• The approach fosters informed storytelling to drive the adoption of evidence-based practices and improve care delivery.